Shoe-blacking machine.



E. E. TALIAFERRO. SHOE BLACKING MACHINE. APPLICATION FILED MAR. I4,1914, RENEWED AUG. 21. 1917.

Patented. Apr. 2,1918. 2 SHEETS-SHEET l- ACHIYYA wmuml mm n v E. E.TALIAFERRO.

SHOE BLACKING MACHINE, APPLICATION FILED MAR. 14. 1914. RENEWED AUG. 27.1911.

Patented Apr. 2, 1918.v

2 SHEETS-SHEE 2- snares snoE-BLAcKINe MACHINE.

Application filed March 14, 1914:, Serial No. 824,711.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, EDWARD E. TALIA- rnRRo, a citizen of the UnitedStates, residing at Colorado Springs, in the county of El Paso and Stateof Colorado, have invented certain new and useful Improvements inShoe-Blacking Machines; and 1 do hereby declare the following to be afull, clear, and exact description of the same, reference being had tothe accompanying drawings, forming part of this specification, and tothe figures and letters of reference marked thereon.

The present invention relates to machines for polishing shoes and isespecially applicable to the types of machines illustrated in my priorPatent No. 900,448, and in my copending application Serial No. 818,995,filed February 16, 1914, the objects of the invention being to providean improvedcombination and arrangement of the cleaning, polish applyingand polishing brushes, whereby the operation may be more satisfactoryand effective and whereby the operating mechanism may be simplified andthe cost of the same materially reduced.

The invention consists in certain novel details of construction andcombinations and arrangements ofparts, all as will be hereinafterdescribed and pointed out particularly in the appended claims.

Referring to the accompanying draw- 111 3,-

lligure 1 is a perspective view of the operating parts of a shoepolishing machine embodying the present improvements, certain of theparts being omitted and parts of the framework broken away to discloseunderlying parts relating more particularly to the features of thepresent improvement.

Fig. 2 is a detail sectional elevation from a point of view at the righthand side of Fig. 1, of the mechanism for supporting and operating thetoe brush shaft.

Fig. 3 is a detail sectional plan view showing the control cam andconnections for oscillating the toe brush shaft to cause the traverse ofthe brush across the shoe being polished and to carry the same out of apath where it would interfere with the slde cleaning and polishingbrushes.

Fig. 4 is a sectional elevation. of thecarrier and brushes, showing thedriving connections for the same. t

Fig. 5 is a detailed perspective view of saiddriving connections. 1

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Apr. 2, 1918. Renewed August 27, 1917. Serial No. 188,491.

Like letters of reference in the several figures indicate the sameparts.

The machine illustrated, embodies in its construction certain partswhich are common to the machine of the prior application, that is tosay, it embodies three rotary side cleaning and polishing brushes A andA mounted respectively on arms B to swing toward and from a support G onwhich the shoe is placed during the cleaning and polishing operations.The arms B are pivotally mounted on a suitable carrier D whereby theyare adapted to be rotated around the shoe rest and rotation is impartedto each brush through a chain of driving mechanism embodying a largegear wheel E, a pinion e, pulley a driven by the pinion and belt 0extending from the pulley e to a pulley on the brush shaft. The carrierD is rotated by being mounted on the upper end of a tubular support,which support is keyed to a worm wheel F driven by a Worm F and itselfreceiving motion through a train of gears F from a main shaft G. Theshaft Gr also imparts rotation to the gear wheel E and serves as themeans whereby the coordination of the movements of the cleaning andpolishing wheels is secured. Thebrush A is adapted to form a dauber bymeans of which blacking is applied to the shoe, and to supply the brushwith blacking orpolish of any suitable character, a polish receptacle His mounted on the arm of the brush A with its discharge duct leadinginto proximity to the brush, all as described in the before mentionedapplication.

In accordance with the present invention a rotary toe brush I isprovided for cleaning, applying polish and polishing the toe portion ofthe shoe, which toe brush is mounted to rotate in a vertical plane andis capable of movement across the toe of the shoe and out of a pathwhere it will confiict with the side cleaning and polishing brushes, asthe latter pass the same.

The rotary toe brush indicated by the reference letter I is mounted onthe forward end of a substantially horizontal shaft 2', said shaft beingin turn journaled in widely separated bearings in a frame K pivotallymounted on the upper end of an oscillatory frame L. The pivotalconnection between the frames K and L is suchthatthe toe brush may swingvertically with relation to the shoe on the axis connecting the twoframes and this movement is preferably limited by adjustable stopsformed, for example, i

by the set screws 70,, and it is normally held with a yielding pressureso as to engage the upper surface of the shoe. In the preferredconstruction, a relatively heavy spring 1s put under tension between therear end of the frame K and the frame L, tending to hold the toe brushup away from the shoe, and a relatively light spring is interposedbetween the front end of the frame K and the frame L, said spring beingindicated at 10 and being adjustable, whereby its tension may beadjusted to hold the brush down with a light pressure, suflicient toperform the functions of cleaning and polishing the shoe and'withoutexerting a pressure which would prevent the user of the machine fromelevating the brush and withdrawing the foot at any moment he shoulddesire to do so.

The adjustment of the spring 70 is con veniently effected by providing aseries of openings 70 in the frame K, in any one of which the end of thespring 70 may be socured and its tension correspondingly increased ordecreased as the case may be.

The oscillatory frame L is preferably j ournaled at its lower end on anextension of the main operating shaft G, the lower end of said frame Lbeing bifurcated to form armslbetween which a driving pulley M ismounted on the shaft and from which motion is imparted through asuitable belt to a second pulley M on the toe brush shaft 7;, thearrangement being such that rotary mo tion will be imparted to the toebrush regardless of the position of the frame L about the main shaft andpractically regardless of the position of the frame K on the frame L,inasmuch as the center about which the frame K pivots is locatedimmediately below the pulley M, and in such proximity thereto that thebelt will be retained in the grooves of the pulley even though the frameK should be swung on its pivot to the limit of its movement in eitherdirection. WVith the arrangement described, it is obvious that the toebrush may be swung laterally from one side to the other across the toeof the shoe, for example, as indicated by the dotted are shown in Fig.2, and such movement may be controlled so as to periodically oscillatethe toe brush back and forth over the shoe and so as to either dodge theside polishing brushes or to meet the same more or less as the oc :asionmay demand, for completely polishing the shoe at every point, or fortaking polish either from the dauber or directly from the discharge ductof the polish holder, as the latter travels beneath the toe brush.

In the preferred operation the toe brush is adapted to receive olishfrom the polish holder and to thereafter make a couple of quick passesacross the shoe so as to distribute the polish and then to rotate anumber of times while slowly traversing the shoe so as to effectuallyrub the polish into and give the shoe the desired finish.

For controlling the toe brush in the man ner stated it is preferred toprovide the tubular support for the side polishing brush spider orcarrier with a control cam which is illustrated at N in Fig. 8. Withthis arrangement the control cam N is moved in exact accord with thebodily rotation of the side polishing brushes around the shoe supportand through proper connections it will control the oscillations of thetoe brush, so that the movements will be timed to accord with themovements of the side polishing brushes whereby conflict between thebrushes will be avoided. Conveniently, the control cam N cooperates witha lever O pivotally mounted on the base of the machine and connected bya rod 0 with the downwardly extending arm of a bell crank lever P, theother arm of which lever is connected through a universal jointconnection 79 with a laterally extending arm M of the frame L. As shownin Fig. 3, the cam'exerts a pressure against the arm 0 which pressure istransmitted through the connecting rod 0, but it is obvious that shouldit be desired to transmit the movement by tension of the rod 0, thelever 0 would have to be transferred to the opposite side of the cam.Such change, however, being obvious, illustration of the same, is notdeemed to be necessary.

The lever O is held against the cam N by a spring which is preferablyconnected to the frame L and to one of the side frames of the motorsupport, as shown at R, in Fig. 2. The rotation of the toe brush is inthe direction indicated by the arrow in said figure.

Thus both the movement of the brush in con-' tact with the shoe and thespring tend to swing the frame and toe brush to the right in Fig, 2, andboth tendencies must be overcome by the cam in swinging the parts inopposite direction. The spring, of course, may be a comparatively lightone, inasmuch as it has little work to do and the movement of the brushshould be made as soft and easy as possible, so as to avoid any ap1earance of resistance to the free withdrawal of the foot should theuser, not understanding the operation of the machine, attempt towithdraw the foot during the cleaning and polishing operation.

In operation, the side polishing brushes are rotated at high speed ontheir individu axes and at the same time travel around the shoe supportso as to effectually polish the sides, sole and heel of the shoe. One ofsaid brushes, as heretofore, is conveniently located at a somewhathigher level than the other two, and one of the brushes serves as adauber for distributing blacking at intervals during its travel aroundthe shoe' "The toe brush is also rotated on its own axis at a ished.

relatively high speed, and it is made to travel or oscillate back andforth across the shoe to polish the upper surface of the same, and itsoscillating movements are timed and made of proper extent to avoiddisastrous conflict with the side polishing brushes by properly shapingthe control cam. The normal bodily movements of thetoe brush are suchthat all parts of the upper surface of the shoe not reached by the sidepolishing brushes will be effectually cleaned and pol- The toe brush isheld down on the surface of the shoe by a light elastic pressure, due tothe slightly overbalancing effect of the light spring before referredto, and it is capable of being tipped up by the user should the shoe bewithdrawn in an upward or diagonally upward direction, without offeringany material resistance to such withdrawal.

The motor for operating the whole mechanism is preferably located on theupper portion of the motor supporting frames S, and inasmuch as thedriving connections between the motor and the main shaft Gr form no partof the present invention, description of the same is deemed to beunnecessary.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new and desire tosecure by Letters Patent of the United States, is:

1. In a shoe polishing machine, the combination with a shoe support, ofa toe polishing brush mounted on a substantially horizontal axis andmovable toward and from the support, of an oscillatory carrier for saidtoe polishing brush mounted on a substantially horizontal axis to swingin a substantially vertical plane, means for rotating the toe brush onits axis, and means for oscillating the carrier and toe brush about theaxis of the carrier, whereby the toe brush will be caused to movelaterally back and forth across the toe of the shoe being polished.

2. In a shoe polishing machine, the combination with a shoe support, ofa rotary toe brush, a substantially horizontal shaft on which said toebrush is mounted, a supporting frame for said shaft mounted on asubstantially horizontal axis to oscillate transversely of the toe brushshaft, means for rotating said toe brush, and means for oscillating thesupporting frame.

8. In a shoe polishing machine, the combination with a shoe support, ofa rotary toe polishing brush, a substantially horizontal shaft on whichsaid brush is mounted, a yielding frame on which said shaft isjournaled, and an oscillatory supporting frame in which the yieldingframe is mounted, means for rotating the toe brush, and means foroscillating the frames and brush, to ef- Gopies of this patent may beobtained for five cents each, by addressing the feet a traverse of thetoe brush laterally acrossthertoe of the shoe being polished.

l. In a shoe polishing machine, the combination with a, shoe support, ofa toe polishing brush mounted on a horizontal axis and movable laterallywith respect to said support, an oscillatory frame in which the toebrush is journaled, a driving shaft on which the frame is mounted tooscillate, and a power transmitting connection intermediate said shaftand toe brush for rotating the toe brush on its individual axis.

5. In a shoe polishing machine, the combination with the shoe support,of a rotary toe polishing brush yieldingly supported to move verticallytoward and from the support, an oscillatory frame on which the toe brushis so supported, means for oscillating said frame laterally with respectto the support, and means for rotating the toe brush.

6. In a shoe polishing machine, the combination with a shoe support,rotary side brushes movable toward and from and around the support, avertically movable rotary toe brush located in a plane above the sidepolishing brushes, a laterally movable oscillatory frame on which thetoe brush is mounted, a rotary cam and controlling connectionsintermediate said cam and oscillatory frame for periodically oscillating the toe brush during the movements of the side polishing brushesaround the shoe support.

7. In a shoe polishing machine, the combination with a shoe support, ofa rota toe brush mounted on a substantially horizontal shaft, a pivotedframe upon which said shaft is journaled, whereby the toe brush may bemoved vertically toward and from the support, springs for holding saidpivoted frame yieldingly in position, a laterally movable frame in whichthe pivoted frame is mounted, and means for moving said laterallymovable frame periodically to cause the lateral movement of the toebrush back and forth across the toe of the shoe being polished.

8. In a shoe polishing machine, the combination with a shoe support androtary toe brush located above the same, of a shaft on which the toebrush is mounted in a substantially horizontal position, a laterallymovable frame in which said shaft is journaled, means for swinging theframe periodically to effect a lateral traverse of the toe brush acrossthe toe of the shoe being polished, and means for rotating the brush.

EDWARD E. TALIAFERRO.

Witnesses:

BERNARD KoRN, H. D. GRAHAM.

Commissioner of Patents,

Washington, It 0.

